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ALEXANDRINA De Courcy |
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Pessimist
ANTICANT
Pessimist, from Latin pessimus, worst; Anticant, anti-, against or in opposition, -cant from Latin cantare, to sing. "Cant" in English comes to refer to language that is hypocritical, whining, monotonous, or specialized to the point of obscurity. [JM & RR] |
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AUGUSTA Gresham
Of Mr. Gresham's six named daughters, five have names with Classical roots: Selina, Helena, Sophy, Beatrice, and Augusta. Augusta is a feminine form of the name held by the first Roman emperor and means "venerable." While most of the girls' names seems to be rather arbitrary, Augusta's does seem to have been chosen to suit her personality. She seems to have more of her mother's De Courcy blood than any of her other siblings, and certainly has an idea that her blood entitles her to respect. She also has a very Roman attitude towards her engagement with Mr. Moffat, agreeing to it in order to do her duty to her family although she has no particular fondness for her fiancé. Mike Campbell, http://www.behindthename.com/ [JC] |
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AUGUSTA
Proudie
The name of one of Bishop Proudie's daughters, Augusta is the feminine version of the name of Rome's first emperor, Augustus Caesar. This classical reference might be poking fun at the authoritative situation in the Proudie household. Unlike Augustus Caesar, Bishop Proudie is a weak, pathetic ruler; however, his wife, Mrs. Proudie, is a powerful matriarch who makes her husband's decisions for him. The fact that one of their children is named Augusta instead of Augustus shows that the woman ultimately has the power in the family. [MD] |
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AUGUSTUS
Green The name Augustus recalls the first Roman emperor, Augustus Caesar. It is no wonder (and perhaps a source of amusement) that Augustus Green, who comes from such a wealthy family that he is able to "devote the whole proceeds of his curacy to violet gloves and unexceptionable neck ties," would have been named after such high-status classical figure. [JC & RR] |
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AUGUSTUS
Lookaloft The Lookalofts are part of the tenantry of Ullathorne who, as their name suggests, think themselves of much higher status than the rest of the tenantry. It is fitting then, that they would name their eldest son after one of the great Roman emperors. [JC] |
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AUGUSTUS Musselboro Augustus was the first of the Roman emperors. His reign is characterized by a golden age of peace, prosperity, efficiency, and literary works. On the surface, the name of the Augustus in this chapter conveys a sense of strength and ability. However, perhaps Mr. Musselboro's name is used to poke fun of the irony that his business is dependent upon the financial support of Mrs. Van Siever. Mr. Musselboro does not in fact rule or control anything and is subject to the bidding of Mrs. Van Siever. OCD [AM] |
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BEATRICE
Gresham Of Mr. Gresham's six named daughters, five have names with Classical roots: Selina, Helena, Sophy, Beatrice, and Augusta. Beatrice is the Italian form of the Latin name Beatrix which is an altered form of the name Viatrix, meaning "voyager." Mike Campbell, http://www.behindthename.com/ [JC] |
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Crabtree
Parva and Crabtree CANONICORUM
Parva is a Latin adjective meaning "small." It is a play on Crabtree Canonicorum, mentioned in the same paragraph. "Canonicorum" is derived from the Latin adjective canonicalis which means "canonical." A canonical piece of land is one that belongs to the church. The name Crabtree Canonicorum sounds very prestigious. Lending it that name makes the reader imagine it to be large, attractive, and in all probability wealthy. The use of Latin in the case of Crabtree Parva, however, lends it a perhaps jarring sense of classical dignity. It is a somewhat humorous approach to describing the place. Leo Stelten. Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995. [TH] |
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Doctor
CENTURY
Dr. Century is one of the other doctors who work in the same region as Doctor Thorne, but who lives close to the town of Silverbridge. Dr. Century's name is probably a reference to his age and antiquated medical knowledge. The word "century" comes from the Latin word centuria, which referred to 100 soldiers, objects, or a group of voters in ancient Rome. The word century began being used to refer to the years of a person's life as early as 1626, according to the OED. [MD] |
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CLARA Van Siever
Clara's first name is the Latin world meaning "clear" or "bright." Clara tends to take a balanced, clear-minded perspective on the events The Last Chronicle of Barset, making this a suitable name. [EB] |
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Plumstead
EPISCOPI Episcopi comes from episcopus, Latin (and earlier, Greek) for "bishop." Plumstead Episcopi is the home of archdeacon Grantly, the son of the bishop of Barchester. [TH & RR] |
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GATHERUM Castle
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HELENA
Gresham
Of Mr. Gresham's six named daughters, five have names with Classical roots: Selina, Helena, Sophy, Beatrice, and Augusta. Helena is the Latinate name for Helen, the mythological character whose abduction started the Trojan War. Mike Campbell, http://www.behindthename.com/ [JC] |
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The JUPITER
Jupiter was the greatest of the Roman gods, and could hurl lightning bolts at will, hence the usage of "thunderbolt" describing articles appearing in the Jupiter. In using this name for the newspaper, Trollope demonstrates how the populace feels about the newspaper and its credibility; it is as "omnipotent" as the king of the gods himself. [JM] |
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LAMBDA MEWNEW
Both first and last names are Greek letters, spelled out. [JM] |
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OMICRON Pie
Both first and last names are Greek letters, spelled out. [JM] |
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Duke of OMNIUM
Translated from the Latin, "the Duke of All." Since the Duke is first introduced as sort of a stock character rather than a developed one, it is fitting that his name reflects his status and power. |
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ONESIPHORUS Dunn Onesiphorus in Greek literally means "benefit bearer." This use of Greek is apt because Onesiphorus in the novel is a great help to Lily Dale when she sees Crosbie for the first time after he slighted her in the Small House at Allington. Onesiphorus also does many favors for Mrs. Thorne. [KD] |
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OPTIMUS Grey
Latin, "very good, best". A fitting first name for the Reverend Grey, given how highly Mrs. Proudie thinks of him. Perhaps Trollope is humorously suggesting that he is the "best" at being grey. [JM] |
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Crabtree PARVA
and Crabtree Canonicorum
Parva is a Latin adjective meaning "small." It is a play on Crabtree Canonicorum, mentioned in the same paragraph. "Canonicorum" is derived from the Latin adjective canonicalis which means "canonical." A canonical piece of land is one that belongs to the church. The name Crabtree Canonicorum sounds very prestigious. Lending it that name makes the reader imagine it to be large, attractive, and in all probability wealthy. The use of Latin in the case of Crabtree Parva, however, lends it a perhaps jarring sense of classical dignity. It is a somewhat humorous approach to describing the place. Leo Stelten, Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995. [TH] |
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PESSIMIST
Anticant
Pessimist, from Latin pessimus, worst; Anticant, anti-, against or in opposition, -cant from Latin cantare, to sing. "Cant" in English comes to refer to language that is hypocritical, whining, monotonous, or specialized to the point of obscurity. [JM & RR] |
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Omicron PIE
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Stogpingum = Stoke PINGUIUM The word "Pinguium" in the original name of this parish is a form of the Latin word pinguis, meaning "fat" or "fertile." The narrator comments that its current name, "Stogpingum," is the result of "barbarous Saxon tongues [having] clipped it of its proper proportions." This phrase satirizes those who prefer the aesthetics of Latin to other languages. [EB] |
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The Musical SCRUTATOR |
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SELINA Gresham
Of Mr. Gresham's six named daughters, five have names with Classical roots: Selina, Helena, Sophy, Beatrice, and Augusta. Selina comes from the Greek Selene, which was the name of the moon goddess. Mike Campbell, http://www.behindthename.com/ [JC] |
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SEPTIMUS
Harding
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SOPHY
Gresham Of Mr. Gresham's six named daughters, five have names with Classical roots: Selina, Helena, Sophy, Beatrice, and Augusta. Sophy is a shortened form of the name Sophia, which comes from the Greek word for "wisdom." Mike Campbell, http://www.behindthename.com/ [JC] |
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The SPECTATOR
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THEOPHILUS
Grantly
Dr. Grantly has a significant first name. The name Theophilus is Greek, meaning either God-loving or beloved of God. This name creates some irony as we quickly see that Dr. Grantly seems to love the church as an institution more than he loves God. [JC] |
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